I’m not a natural glamper. I find a lot of glamping experiences lean heavily into the ‘camping’ part and not nearly enough on the ‘glam’ part. I’m old enough now to know what I like, and I like my creature comforts. But glamping breaks have a few things going for them – they’re good for couples, as a lot of the huts/cabins/wagons etc are small and not suited to large groups. As such, they’re often priced accordingly. They’re also often available for short breaks, with some even available for single-night stays. This is a welcome change from a lot of holiday cottages that require three- or four-night minimum stays, are often so large that you feel you’re wasting space, and are pretty pricy. Glamping breaks also allow you to really get out into nature and enjoy the countryside. So, with this in mind, I’d been coveting a few of the stays on Canopy and Stars, and was eyeing a break for my birthday.
After some obsessive research (I’m the type to create spreadsheets before making any holiday decision), I plumped for a stay at the Duke in Cornwall.
The Duke is a renovated 1940s showman’s wagon, part of a suite of unique accommodation at Spring Park, Rezare, not far from Launceston. It’s just over the border from Devon, so it wasn’t too strenuous a journey from Oxfordshire. We were only staying two nights, and you never want to spend too much of your time off schlepping down motorways.
The Duke is in its own little field, and with its little black rabbits and other creatures (perhaps a stoat, or a polecat?) it’s like something from the pages of Beatrix Potter. The bathroom is in a separate hut behind the Duke – something I wasn’t immediately keen on but it’s surprising how quickly you get used to it. It also meant we were able to enjoy a proper shower!
The kitchen is fully equipped, although the gas oven took a bit of working out – and there’s a gorgeous antique French wood burner which really belts out the heat. The bed is pretty comfortable, too, and there’s the usual selection of books and games for the real British self-catering experience.
The wood-fired hot tub is the star of the show. It’s a real knack to get it to the right temperature, and it takes about two hours to really get going – so plan ahead! Luckily my partner loves nothing more than tending to a fire so I sat back and let him do all the work as I watched the bats flit around overhead. There’s also a little campfire area where you can toast marshmallows. Logs are provided and there’s more logs in the car park via an honesty system.
Although we didn’t want to do too much driving around once we got to the Duke – we did venture down to Charlestown for a little bit of Cornish sea air, and enjoyed a fab vegan brunch at Short & Strong.
There’s also a lovely pub within walking distance of the Duke, perfect for an early evening snifter, or dinner if you don’t feel like cooking.
On our way back home, we stopped at Tavistock to have a look at the famous Pannier market, and picked up some lovely vegan chocolate goodies from Sea Green Cocoa Bean.
This post is not sponsored or affiliated in any way and the stay was not gifted.
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